Basics need to be right, says Evans
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AFTER having the previous week’s game against Urmston at home postponed, Widnes Cricket Club’s first XI could not believe the blue skies and weather difference in only one week as they travelled the long distance to Macclesfield a ground known for its inclement weather.
Captain Tom Evans lost the toss and Widnes were asked to bat first.
Chris Kirby and Matt Burns opened the batting but hopes of a decent start went almost immediately when the latter was bowled by Craig Melrose in the first over without score.
This brought Zimbabwe overseas player Johnathan Campbell to the crease.
Seeing off the early Macclesfield hostilities, Kirby and Campbell managed to move the score along to 35 by the eighth over before the import was caught by Chris France off Melrose for 21.
In next was Majid Majeed who was the hero of the recent Upton game. Unfortunately for Widnes, this was not going to be his day as he was caught by Otis Palmes facing his first ball delivered by the prolific Melrose.
Alex Hewitt was next into bat and with Kirby took the score to 73 in the 16th over.
Kirby was then trapped lbw by Melrose for 23.
Rob Magee came in and had scored nine before he departed, caught by Peter Barron off Melrose once again and Widnes were now 95-5.
Qamar Hafiz was next in but only scored two, a first victim for Rob Porter.
Daniel Wearden came and went without scoring and at this point Hewitt had just reached his half century playing some assured shots and providing some backbone for the Widnes innings.
Skipper Evans was next to the crease and tried to give Widnes some kind of rearguard attack.
Unfortunately for Widnes, Hewitt’s wicket soon fell for 52, caught by Jim Melrose off that man Melrose once again.
With the score on 129-8, captain Evans tried to keep the scoreboard ticking whilst batting the overs but this proved too big an ask.
Will Myers went for a duck and Evans himself for 14 leaving Owen Price not out without score.
Widnes had posted 134 all out inside 35 overs, a well below par total as Macclesfield had 66 overs in which to reach the target.
Craig Melrose returned impressive figures of 6-54 to lead the Macclesfield bowlers.
Widnes went full on attack trying to defend their total with Hafiz and Majeed opening the bowling.
All seemed to be going to plan with Macclesfield stumbling at 4-2 with both openers John Birchall and Alex Griffiths returning to the pavilion cheaply, both victims to lbw decisions to Widnes’s opening bowlers.
This brought Khalid Sawas to the crease who steadied the Macclesfield innings and made headway into the Widnes total.
Three more wickets fell (one more to Hafiz and one each for Campbell and Magee) but Macclesfield never really looked in danger of not chasing down the Widnes total with Sawas finishing unbeaten on 83 and the target being reached three deliveries into the 29th over.
So after a win, postponement and loss in their first three matches of the campaign – and Evans’s first season as skipper – the captain this week has urged his side to rediscover the “basics”.
He said: “I think for us it’s about getting off to a good start to reach our targets for the season, which is the top-half of the table.
“The teams we’re playing, especially in the next few weeks, are probably going to be in-andaround us come the end of the season so you want to make sure you do well.
“It’s been a long winter but we need to get the basics going to keep pushing.” ● A very depleted Widnes second XI lost heavily to Cheadle. Widnes were bowled out for 70, with stand-in captain Ste Dean top scoring with 19. After the tea interval, Cheadle surpassed the Widnes total without loss. ● This weekend sees two firstteam home games over the weekend. On Saturday, Widnes entertain Oxton in a league fixture starting at 1pm with the second XI travelling to Oxton in the reverse fixture. On Sunday, Widnes play host to Premier Division Timperley in the Cheshire Cup – 1pm start. ● Adult training takes place on Thursday evenings at 6pm for anybody who fancies trying their hand at cricket. Likewise, junior cricket is held on the same evening from 6pm for any junior aged players. Contact andrew.burns@ lstmed.ac.uk for further details.